Verbena plant named ‘Comivpec’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Comivpec’, characterized by its compact, mounded and cascading plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; and double flowers with peach-colored petals and petaloids.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Verbena hybrida cultivarComivpec.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Comivpec’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Bene-Zion and Kfar-Hanagid, Israel. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new Verbena cultivars with double flowersand attractive flower coloration.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin February, 2001 of a proprietary selection of Verbena hybridaidentified as code number VA-1, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified ascode number VA-25, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thecultivar Comivpec was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant from within the progeny from this cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Kfar-Hanagid, Israel in March, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Kfar-Hanagid, Israel, since April, 2002, hasshown that the unique features of this new Verbena are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Comivpec’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Comivpec’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Compact, mounded and cascading plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.

3. Dark green-colored leaves.

4. Double flowers with peach-colored petals and petaloids.

Plants of the new Verbena are most similar to the parent selections.Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of the parentselections and cultivars known to the Inventor in flower form as plantsof the parent selections and cultivars known to the Inventor have singleflowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena.

The photograph is a close view of a typical flowering plant of‘Comivpec’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Comivpec has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Bene-Zion, Israel, under commercial practice during the springin a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 22 to24° C., night temperatures about 16 to 18° C., and light levels about710 lux. Cuttings were planted in 12-cm containers and grown for aboutthree months. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar Comivpec.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena hybridaidentified as code number VA-1, not patented.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena hybridaidentified as code number VA-25, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 9 days at 24° C.

Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 12 days at 20° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner, summer.—About 20 days at 24°C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner, winter.—About 25 days at 20°C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

Plant description:

Form.—Compact, mounded and cascading plant habit.

Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous to vigorous andfreely-branching with about lateral branches potentially forming atevery node; dense and bushy growth habit.

Plant height.—About 28 to 30 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 to 42 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internodelength: About 3.5 to 4.7 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent.Color: 147C.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length: About 3 to5.3 cm. Width: About 1.2 to 2 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute.Base: Attenuate with truncate tendencies. Margin: Crenate. Texture,upper and lower surfaces: Coarse, pubescent, rugose. Venation pattern:Pinnate. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B.Venation, upper surface: 147A. Venation, lower surface: 147D. Petiole:Length: About 2 to 3 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 147D.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Double salverform flowers arranged on terminalracemes; flowers sessile. Freely flowering with about 13 to 16 flowersper raceme. Inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliage.Flowers last about five to seven days on the plant under greenhouseconditions. Flowers persistent.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Flowering season.—In the garden, flowering is continuous from springuntil fall.

Inflorescence height.—About 3 to 3.4 cm.

Inflorescence diameter.—About 5.3 to 6.1 cm.

Flower size.—Diameter: About 2.6 to 2.8 cm. Length: About 2.7 to 3 cm.Throat diameter: About 4 mm. Tube diameter, at base: About 2 to 3 mm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 to 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 to 3 mm.Shape: Tubular. Color: 147A.

Petals/petaloids.—Quantity/arrangement: Five petals and typically aboutfive petaloids per flower; petals fused at base. Petaloids variable inshape. Petal length: About 1.1 to 1.3 cm. Petal width: About 1.4 to 1.6cm. Petaloid length: About 5 to 7 mm. Petal width: About 4 to 6 mm.Petal shape: Roughly cordate. Petal apex: Emarginate. Petal margin:Entire. Petal and petaloid texture, upper and lower surfaces: Velvety,smooth. Petal and petaloid color: When opening and fully opened, uppersurface: 27A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 27C.

Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into a tube. Calyx length:About 1.1 to 1.3 cm. Calyx diameter: About 2 to 3 mm. Texture, upper andlower surfaces: Coarse, pubescent.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five. Anther shape:Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm; rudimentary. Anther color:Yellowish. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Yellowish. Pistils:Quantity per flower: One. Stigma shape: Bi-parted, flattened. Stigmacolor: Greenish. Style length: About 2.1 to 2.2 cm. Style color:Greenish. Ovary color: Greenish.

Seed.—Quantity per flower: None to five. Length: About 3 to 4 mm.Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color: Brownish.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbena.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed tobe tolerant to temperatures ranging from 0 to higher than 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named‘Comivpec’, as illustrated and described.